GARAM MASALA

Garam Masala image

Garam Masala is one of the principal spice flavorings in Indian cooking. It is sold in stores, but you can make it at home; the high-achieving Indian cooks always do. There is no standard garam masala, after all. The spices used and their amounts vary from cook to cook, and sometimes from dish to dish. However, the basis of most garam masala is the same, a combination of a lot of whole coriander and smaller amounts of whole cumin, cloves, black pepper and cinnamon, which are roasted together and ground in a coffee or spice mill. Here's a start.

Provided by Craig Claiborne

Time 15m

Yield About 1 tablespoon

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

9 green cardamom pods
1 1-inch length of stick cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Steps:

Break open cardamom pods; reserve the small seeds and discard outer shells. Crush cinnamon stick as finely as possible with flat mallet.
Combine all the spices. Heat a small skillet. Cook spices briefly until they emit slight aroma. Empty into small spice mill or small coffee grinder and grind as finely as possible. Store in airtight container.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 57, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 11 grams, Fat 3 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 16 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams